


Speciosus Cruentus Animus

by kalokalovesyou



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Demons, Everyone at some point - Freeform, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-22
Updated: 2013-10-22
Packaged: 2017-12-30 03:40:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1013649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kalokalovesyou/pseuds/kalokalovesyou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>War is the very blood of life. Life is the war of love. Love is the light to the dark. Light and Dark are the blood of war.<br/>The world is thrown into chaos when the elite group warriors called "Conquerors" begins to purge the world of what they consider "the filth of the world".<br/>Demons.<br/>Most Demons and humans do little to stop the violence that has slowly begun to climb, save for a brave select few.<br/>Arthur, haunted by nightmares of a past he wishes to forget and a future he wants no part of, tries desperately to hold onto the world that gave him life, helping and bringing others as he goes, whether he realizes it or not. But things are not easy for a single man to stand up against an Empire that will stop at nothing to see the world thrown into ruin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Speciosus Cruentus Animus

**_~Speciosus Cruentus Animus~  
 **Tome I: Begining Volume I**_**  
~x~

_Quiet._

_The night was quiet, unusually so. The usual noises of the night dwelling animals and insects were no where to be heard. Even the usual breeze was no where to be found. It made the air thick, still, and heavy. The only thing that dared move was the occasional snowflake. Even in the middle of winter the night was never this silent. It only served to amplify the unusual smell that hung on the air. It smelled like rotting meat, burning flesh, and strong enough to make even the most hardened warrior gag. It was the smell of death. And it hung as heavy in the air as the silence._

_Then, like some sort of spell had been broken, the silence was shattered with the sound of heavy footsteps on the hard frozen ground. Two figures, both covered in dark colored cloaks, raced through the night. Breathes came in soft pants, the taller of the two glancing over a shoulder to check on the shorter. The leader slowed the pace until both were walking at a brisk pace. The leader led them over to a broken down but still standing building offset from the thin line of trees.  The taller of the two jerked the hood off, revealing himself to be male with striking blue eyes and dark almost brown blond hair. He cast a glance at his companion as they too removed the hood. This second figure was male as well, blond with deep green eyes._

_Both huddled against the side of the building and seemed to not notice the smell of death permeating strongly from between the broken boards of the wall, at least one of them didn't. The shorter of the two covered his mouth and nose with a hand in a lame attempt to stifle the coughing that was crawling up his throat, only to fail as a few escaped. The taller of the two shot back a looked laced with anger and worry. The worry was directed at his shorter companion while the anger was directed somewhere over his shoulder from the direction they had just escaped from._

_"Are they still there?" the shorter of the two asked once he had reined in the coughing._

_“I don’t see them. With the gods blessing we may have lost them,” the taller of the two sighed, leaning heavily against the wall. His hand went instinctively to his side, fingers curling into the flesh of his side as a flare of pain shot up his spine. He could feel something hot through the layer of his shirt and soaking slowly through his cloak. With any luck, his younger companion wouldn’t be able to see the growing stain or smell the blood._

_The green eyed male looked around, wrinkling his nose against the smell of death. He finally allowed himself a sigh and to slouch against the wall once he was sure they would not be immediately found out. He turned his head to look up at his companion with worry swimming brightly in his eyes. They had barely escaped with their lives. And while he wasn’t what one would normally consider sheltered, he had never had to deal with someone trying to kill him before. It had only been the quick actions of his taller friend that they were alive now. They stood in silence for a few moments before there was a shout from the distance. The green eyed male stiffened, eyes looking like a panicked deer caught by a hunter. The taller of the two was in the process of reaching out to put a hand on the shorter one when his hand stopped half way there by a shout._

_"There they are!"_

_Both figures rounded to see a group of men running at them. The shorter male's eyes widened in horror, but the expression was only seen for a moment before the other male forced the hood of the cloak down around the shorter male's face and gave him a rough shove._

_"Shit! Run!" he hissed, not really noticing as his companion fought to hold his footing._

_"Where to exactly?" the shorter asked in a shrill voice as he stumbled._

_"I don't give a damn! Just fucking run!" the taller male roared, giving him another shove._

_"Wait!" the shorter man tried but was cut off as the taller shook his head._

_"No! Just go!" he hissed, willing his voice not to waver and keep a commanding tone._

_"But you are not—" the other started again, telling the other male he had failed to sound convincingly commanding._

_"I've lost too many people already! I'll be damned to hell before I let them get you too!" he cut in, not caring if the desperate feeling crept into his words._

_"Have you lost your bloody mind?" the other demanded, voice crawling up an octave or two in his growing terror as the men chasing them grew closer._

_"Yes! Now, RUN!"_

_The shorter male stared at the taller one, his eyes searching the other's face for any sign that he would change his mind, but there was nothing there but grim determination. He set his lips in a firm line. If he was going to stay then-_

_"You can't get away from us this time, you filthy vermin!" one of the men from the group shouted, noticeably closer._

_"Run dammit! And don't you fucking dare look back!" This time his voice sounded commanding as he pointed around the building._

_He gave another rough shove to his smaller companion._

_"Wha—"_

_"Be safe…okay?" his features softened into a soft, yet sad, smile._

_"NO! I am not going to leave you here to throw your—"_

_"You have to, look," the taller male sighed, pulling the smaller into a soft embrace, "I promised I'd look after you, didn't I? I can't be a very good knight if you don't let me."_

_"But…" the smaller male protested weakly._

_"I'll be okay. If I thought any different then I wouldn't have said anything, I thought you knew me better than that?" he released his companion and held him there a moment before placing a swift kiss to his forehead. "Hurry!"_

_The smaller male looked ready to protest but nodded slowly. He gave his comrade one last look before turning and running around the building and down the steep slope, stumbling a few times but staying on his feet. Once he was out of his immediate sight, the blue eyed male turned to their pursuers. He straightened out, ignoring the way the wound on his side pulled and opened a little more. He would do whatever it took to make sure these bastards didn’t touch a single hair on his companions head. He closed his eyes and took a shaky breath. His life would end here tonight. But he wouldn’t regret it for a moment. He had lived the best life he could and made the best life possible for the young man running down the hill to safety. He would die knowing he had done something with his life._

_His eyes flashed open as the men neared._

_“You will not take another step past me. I will take you all to see the gods!” he shouted, throwing part of his cloak back and pulling a weapon from his belt._

_Leaves crinkled loudly under boots and a shadow ripple silently over the cold ground. There was the thunderous roar of an explosion followed closely by shouting. The runner stopped abruptly and half turned back towards the commotion. He shivered and pulled the cloak tighter, although it did little to help fend off the chill that had set permanently into his bones. There was another loud explosion and the shouting got closer. He strained to hear what a few of the voices were saying. Much his horror the shouting was of glee and victory. No, it wasn't possible that…they had captured, or worse, killed him…had they? He took one-step back the way he had come, then shook his head, turned and continued the way he had been going, tears threatening to spill over. He bit his lip but that did little to stop the clear turned silver water from running down his face as one last loud boom echoed through the hills._

**~x~x~**

The populace of the small, yet animated, town went about their business like nothing was wrong with the world. Everything was just another normal day, from the children laughing to the women gossiping about the latest news, and even the men standing solid and motionless at the entrances to the main road seemed normal. These men were there to protect them so there was no need to pay them much attention. Even if they had tried to interact with them, the men wouldn't have paid them any attention, such was their training.

So the people went about their business hardly noticing when the shadow between two shops moved when it should not have. Then, like a phantom summoned from the dark, a pair of bright emerald green eyes flashed open. The eyes seemed to hover there in mid air before a form began to materialize from the dark, giving shape to a male. The male hovered in the dark a moment before tentatively walking towards the light that bathed the open street. He shrunk back as someone walked by, his eyes following the person as they walked down the street and into the throng of people. He gave the street a quick look over before slowly stepping out into the light. No one paid him any attention, good.

The man had a slender figure but not one without lean muscles that gave evidence of a life filled with manual labor, messy sandy-straw hair, and eyes that seemed a little less bright on the light. He looked up and down the street once more before straightening out his off-white shirt then pulling at the leather strings at his collarbone. He dusted his leather gloved covered hands off on his black pants before messing with the thin metal guard on his arms. He glanced around again before crouching down to pick up his pack, which he quickly stuffed a large black coat into. He checked to be sure the knife in his mid-shin high boot was secure before he stood, throwing his pack over his shoulder and starting off down the street.

The blond looked at all the various shops set up, not particularly interested in any of them but it gave him something to do while he walked, while one hand rested on the hilt of the rapier hanging at his right hip from the belt around his waist at all times. This too the people were used to seeing. Mercenaries were not an uncommon thing in smaller towns, even more so in the larger ones. There were always jobs to be done for someone willing to put in the effort. However, the blond was not there for work. In fact, he wasn't even supposed to be there and was just there by bad chance.

The blond male paused by a shop and peered through the window, looking at the various pieces of jewelry on display. He heavily considered the small green gemstone on a simple silver chain when something reflecting in the window caught his eye. He straightened and turned to face the street, a curious expression flickering across his face. The people that had been in the street were running toward one end of town saying something in excited voices. Despite himself, he found his feet carrying him towards the commotion. However, the instant he was at the front of the growing crowd he wished he hadn't come to see.

In the small clearing at the very tip of the town, two men, dressed in black robes that barely covered the shiny silver plates of their armor, were dragging forward two people, one male and the other female. The male was shoved to his knees and he had to use his hands to keep himself from face planting into the dirt. The woman was released in a gentler manner but not by much.

"What? You can't be serious? Those two?" a nearby watcher hissed under her breath to someone else.

"I know, I never would have thought of it myself. They were such a nice couple too," her companion whispered back in disappointment.

The blond furrowed his brow but kept his questions, and disgust, to himself. He kept his eyes trained on the two people kneeling on the ground before the crowd. The woman whimpered and the man reached out to grab her hand but it never made it. The metal heel of the one the armored men slammed into his hand effectively, and easily, breaking the man's hand. He cried out in agony, which caused the woman to start crying as she looked up fearfully at the man towering above her.

"This man," the second armored man called out, motioning to the pitiful pair near his partner's feet, "has been both accused and proven to be that of a Demon!"

There was a collective gasp throughout the crowd. The hand on the hilt of the polished black-and-silver rapier tightened until the knuckles turned a sickly white, but the blond did not move, except for the minute narrowing of his bright green eyes. The armored man turned and sneered down at the man who was looking up at him with wide tear filled eyes.

"Do you deny this?" the armored man snapped.

The kneeling man opened his mouth then slowly closed it, an utterly defeated look taking over his face. The woman by his side mouthed something under her breath, her eyes wide and pleading, but the man paid her no attention and shook his head. The speaker's sneer grew as he turned back to the crowd.

"He does not dare deny it! How dare this filth" –the blond man in the crowd had to stop himself from snarling under his breath- "taint our peaceful home! He shall be dealt with immediately!"

"No! You can't!" the woman screeched as she jumped up and stood in front of the man, her arms wide. And even from this angle, the blond man could see the look of pure horror flash across the still kneeling man's face.

"No? Woman, you have already tainted your hands with so much as staying in the same room as this vermin. Do you dare invoke the same punishment as him?" the armor brute snarled, taking a menacing step toward the smaller woman.

The woman's eyes hardened and she lifted her chin, looking determined, "Yes. I will burn the same as he does."

"No, Mic—"

"Shut it!" the other armored man spat, backhanding the poor man and sending him sprawling across the dirt.

The woman whipped around and slapped the man across the face with a surprisingly vicious growl, "If anyone is the vermin here, it is you!"

"Woman!" the first speaker grabbed a handful of the woman's hair and jerked her back, ignoring her scream of pain and protest. "Just for that, for laying a violent hand on a  _Conqueror_ , you will get the same punishment as your  _precious_  Demon there."

"No," the man croaked as he pushed himself back up onto his hands and knees.

"Too late,  _vermin_ , you both are guilty of being the bloody creatures that pollute our world. And as such, by the power of the almighty Emperor himself, I hear by sentence you both to death!" The man holding the woman shouted, shaking the poor woman as if doing so would somehow further his point.

Several people in the crowd cried out in protest on behalf of the woman, after all, she was just a  _"foolish human woman caught in the spell of the Demon"_.

The emerald-eyed watcher scoffed at the women talking behind him and moved to walk away when he stopped dead in his tracks.

"I wonder what they did with the boy that was staying with them."

"I don't know. I hope they didn't find him yet. I mean, he is just a boy, he doesn't deserve that."

He glanced back over to the armored men who were dragging the woman kicking and screaming away while the man followed along silently. He could see the strong emotion of sorrow and love shining and directed at the woman, the woman who had given herself up for him. The blond man straightened and turned to the gossiping women behind him.

"Where is their home located?" he demanded in a crisp tone, wincing mentally as his throat throbbed in protest, he hadn't spoken in a long time and it was almost like he had been momentarily worried he wouldn't remember how.

The women looked startled that he was suddenly talking to them. One eyed him suspiciously while the other began to wring her hands together nervously.

"Why do you want to know?"

The man bristled but kept his voice cool and calm, "That is no business of yours, woman! Tell me where the damned house is."

Both started, eyes widened and pointed down the road.

"It's just down that way! It will be the one in the worse condition, you can't miss it!"

He gave them a curt nod and set off, his feet carrying him a quick pace because he knew it was only a matter of time, if not moments, before someone was sent after him if he could count on those women talking about what they would call 'odd' request. He concentrated on putting as much distance between himself and the town as quickly as he could and soon found himself standing before a large house, which surprised him. He had expected the people who lived there to live in something that could barely be considered a house. Although this place was nice, there were obvious signs of a break in and a struggle. The blond drew his rapier and stepped cautiously over the broken door and various other things littering the entryway. There was no way of knowing if anymore of the armored men were in fact still in the house. He chose the side of caution in this instance and would rather run into one armed and ready over not.

The house was deathly quiet. It made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. There was someone or something still in the house, he knew it. He could smell the fear that still lingered in the house and it was enough to make him want to gag, nevertheless he pushed the urge from his mind. He stepped over the broken china littering across floor from a door which he assumed led to the kitchen. There was a narrow staircase right in front of him but he paid it no attention, there was no one up there, he knew that much already. There was an open doorway to his right that lead to the living area and the kitchen to his left. The bedrooms were most likely upstairs. The kitchen…yes there was most definitely someone in the kitchen.

He moved his body with a fluid grace, his heavy boots hardly making a sound as he stepped around the broken plates and cups. He gave the room a once over before deeming it safe enough to step through. The window over the sink was open and let in a gentle breeze that kissed his warm skin nicely, but he had little time to sit and enjoy the breeze. The pantry directly across the room from him held his undivided attention. He slipped across the wooden floor and slowly placed his free hand on the doorknob. A quick breath, then he wrenched the door open shoving his rapier forward at the same time. And he was rewarded with a terrified shriek.

"P-Please! D-Don't h-hurt m-me! I'll d-do what-whatever you w-want!"

Narrowed green eyes locked with wide and terrified blue-violet, the smell of fear rolling in almost overpowering waves now. This must be the boy those women had been talking about. He had light blond hair that curled at the tips and an annoying strand that stood up stubbornly. The boy was wearing a dark red shirt that was at least two sizes too big for him, dark tan pants, and was clutching a white stuffed animal close to his chest.

The man with the weapon lowered it a tiny fraction before barking, "Name."

"M-Matthew!" the boy squeaked, his wide eyes still locked on the weapon poised at his throat.

The blond lowered his weapon, his face softening, as he held out his hand and said in an oddly gentle tone, "Forgive me for startling you like that, Matthew. If you will come with me I will get you out of here safely."

The standing blond watched as Matthew looked from his outstretched hand to his face, gulping. He could see Matthew’s thoughts clearly on his face. The other blond was considering whether or not it was in fact safe to go with this sudden stranger. Slowly, mind still racing undoubtedly, Matthew reached out and gently grabbed the hand offered to him. He must have come to the conclusion that if he was to be hurt he would have been so already. The other blond pulled him up from his huddled position on the floor then checked him over for any injuries before placing a hand on his shoulder and giving it a squeeze.

"You need to gather a few of your things, quickly," he whispered, certain urgency to his words despite the calm tone.

Matthew nodded mutely. He motioned for Matthew to lead the way and the younger blond took a small step forward. It wasn't logical for him to be running around with this random man but…he wasn't like those men that had come in earlier. The ones that had come earlier had forced his guardians out the door screaming, and if this man had come to do the same then he would have done so already. Matthew shivered at the memory and hurried out the kitchen door and to the staircase, the other man close on his heels. Matthew hurried up the stairs two at a time and sprinted down the long hallway until he reached the last door on the right. He shoved it open, adrenaline taking over, and hurried about his room throwing things into a small bag he had picked up at some point while the other blond stood watch by the door.

"I'm…I'm ready sir," Matthew said softly as he hurried over to the man's side. The older blond gave him an approving look before leading the way down the hallway and stairs. They were almost at the door when Matthew felt and arm around his shoulders force him to stagger forward and behind the other male, as said male twisted around and readied his rapier at the thing now standing before them from the direction of the kitchen.

This new being, male as well, had raven black hair with grey headband around the top of his head and dark chocolate brown eyes that stared back at them in a bored manner. This newcomer had his hands raised with his palms facing outward in a surrendering gesture.

"Kiku," the blond man growled, lowering his weapon, "how many times must I instruct you not to sneak up on me like that?"

"Forgive me, I did not mean to upset you," the dark headed man, Kiku, drawled as he clasped his hands together in front of him, the long black sleeves of his shirt quickly sliding down and covering his pale hands. He tilted his head and looked at Matthew standing behind the older blond, wide eyes glancing quickly between the both of them.

"Who is he?" Kiku asked his voice barely above a whisper.

"Ah," the blond headed male turned and looked at Matthew. "We can wait on proper introductions later, I promise. Right now we have to get out of here."

Matthew looked between the two and slowly nodded. His breath was coming in short little gasps and he had his hands clasped just over his heart. The older blond could see that Matthew had no desire to go with them, could see it in the way he twitched every few seconds like a rabbit ready to bolt at any moment. But what choice did he honestly have? It was between tagging along with them or staying in that pantry and waiting for someone to come along and snatch him away too, like they had done the woman and man.

"I promise, when we are safer and away from here, I will explain everything. I just need you to trust me for a little while longer," the older blond tried again when Matthew didn’t move when he started toward the open door.

"Someone is coming," Kiku warned with a dagger suddenly clasped in his pale hands.

The other blond nodded and wrapped an arm around Matthew but the younger stood rooted.

"I…can I at least know your name?" Matthew asked.

"Kirkland, Arthur Kirkland, now please, Matthew, hurry. We must leave here and quickly, it is of great importance."

Matthew nodded and clutched the white animal tighter. Arthur nodded to Kiku, who slipped out the door and a moment later reappeared with a nod of his own. Arthur grabbed Matthew's elbow and more or less dragged him out the door, down the steps of the porch, and off into the trees and foliage at side of the road. Kiku crouched several yards ahead of them and Arthur finally let go of Matthew's elbow and crouched behind him, keeping an eye behind them for trouble. And soon enough, a group of men came into view of the house, with the women Arthur had spoken to right behind them. He sent Kiku another look and the raven nodded again before slipping further into the underbrush.

Arthur carefully peered around the brush, watching with a baited breath as the men cautiously entered the ruined house while the women stayed on the porch. He could feel Matthew shivering beside him and without looking, set a reassuring hand on the boy's arm. The shivering went down but did not stop. Arthur counted off the seconds in his head, and right on cue, and small explosion sounded off near one of the houses further down the road. The women shrieked in surprise at the same time the men in the house yelled. The group of them hurried from the house and back down the road at the same moment Kiku reappeared at Arthur's side.

"There is a path further in," the raven said with a slight incline of his head in the correct direction. "It would be safe to use until night falls."

"All right," Arthur whispered back, shifting as his knees began to protest at the odd angle he was sitting. "Matthew, I know this is a lot, but as I said a moment ago, I will explain everything later, understood?"

Matthew blinked. Neither Arthur nor Kiku moved as they waited for him to answer. Well, he had come this far, there was no turning back at this point. His lips managed to twitch upward and that was enough of an answer for either one of them. Arthur grabbed his arm again and pulled him deeper into the darkness created by the trees and brush. Kiku followed along behind them, occasionally glancing over his shoulder.

The long and narrow dirt path was empty and quiet, having no travelers in a few days. The thin line of trees that bordered the road cast an ominous shadow that no one dared enter, save for the three refugees. Two of them moving fluidly like they belonged there while the third followed along at a noticeably slower and clumsier pace.

Kiku glanced at Matthew then up at Arthur who was slowly beginning to get farther and farther away from them. The raven headed male slowed to match Matthew's pace and pulled him to a stop with a gentle hand on his shoulder. Matthew over at Kiku, his eyes wide and sides heaving as he fought for breath.

"Please rest here, I shall fetch Lord Kirkland," Kiku said with a slight smile on his pale lips.

Matthew nodded and instantly sat down, looking utterly exhausted. They had been traveling at a swift pace for a few hours at least so it was no wonder Matthew was tired. Kiku watched him a moment before looking for Arthur. And as Kiku expected, Arthur was far out of sight. He let a soft sigh slip past his lips before turning back to the boy at his feet. He clasped his hands in front of him and gave Mathew a deep bow.

"I shall not be but a moment."

Kiku then turned and took off from Matthew at a slight jog; at least until he was sure he was far enough from Matthew before lengthening his stride. He hardly noticed as the trees crowding around the main road blurring together and his hair becoming out of order. All he was focused on was finding Arthur before the young boy got uneasy and left. It really would be a shame to have gone through all of that trouble only to have the poor lad killed. Kiku sighed again; sometimes it was so troublesome to stay with Arthur. Ah, speaking of which, that very blond was in his sights now, paused by a tree and staring intensely at the road ahead. Kiku slowed and stopped by Arthur's side, peering over his shoulder to see what had his attention.

A frown flickered across his face as he saw the small group of armor and cloak covered men standing in the road, inspecting a small caravan. It appeared to be a checkpoint. Well, this wasn't good.

"Lord Kirkland," Kiku whispered softly into Arthur's ear causing the blond to stiffen slightly, "perhaps it would be best to stop for a rest. The young boy deserves an explanation after all."

Arthur stared at the men in the armor a moment longer before slowly nodding. His green gaze quickly looking over the people at the checkpoint and they lingered a little longer on one in particular. That person was blond, much like Matthew and himself, with blazing crystal clear blue eyes behind square glasses. There really wasn't anything special about him, besides how he chattering to the woman next him while bouncing on the heels of his feet excitedly. But at the same time, there was something off about him. Arthur didn't have time to think it over before Kiku gently grabbed his elbow and began to pull him away.

They both crept away from the scene before hurrying back to Matthew, who looked ready to nod off when they arrive. But once the boy heard footsteps he was wide-awake, hugging the white stuffed animal tighter to his chest, not relaxing in the slightest as he spotted Arthur and Kiku. Arthur removed his belt and pack then handed it to Kiku, who accepted and held them both with a bow of his head. Arthur then sat down next to Matthew, staring at the boy with mild interest. Matthew shifted uncomfortably under the intense gaze.

Arthur let out a sigh, "I suppose you would like an explanation."

It was more of a statement then a question but Matthew felt the need to respond anyway, "Yes, sir. That would be nice, eh."

Arthur let a slightly amused look flicker across his face as he finally noticed Matthew’s slight accent. It suited the boy. He shook the thoughts away and refocused his attention on Matthew, who tensed again.

“Do you know why those men appeared in your home?” Arthur asked.

Matthew’s brow furrowed a little and shook his head. Arthur hummed in thought a moment before speaking again, "Do you know what Demons and _Conquerors_ are?"

Matthew looked confused by the question and Arthur took that as an answer.

"Demons, despite what you might or might not have been told, are a special breed. And again, despite what everyone else says, most Demons do not look any different from humans. In fact, many humans do not even realize that they may live right next to or even with a Demon. However, there are a small collection of Demons that have some sort of physical indication that gives them away, such as ears, a tail, wings, markings, or something of the sort. Those are the ones most humans try to avoid because they consider them dangerous. All Demons are essientally, are humans with a little more of something. And that something can be physical like strength, endurance, agility. Or, something more psychological making some Demons a little sharper than some with intellect or strategy. I have even heard of some that are very keen in emotions.

"However, there is a special group of Demons which have a special power that really separates them from the rest of the Demons and humans. This is where the  _Conquerors_  part in all of this comes in." Arthur's eyes narrowed and darkened while Kiku shifted uncomfortably from his spot nearby.

" _Conquerors_  are human men and women trained specifically to hunt down and kill Demons. At first, it was a noble ideal since in the beginning all they hunted were the rogue Demons that threatened the safety and peace of the humans. But somewhere along the long time line that line began to blur and now, they hunt down all Demons regardless of whether or not they did anything to deserve it.

"The _Conquerors_  are ranked into three different levels. There are the Guards at the bottom who are nothing really but ground troops. Then there are the Commanders who are a little higher up and give order to the Guards. At the top are the five men who are in charge of all of the Commanders and Guards. They are the most dangerous, because all five of these men posses an ability that some Demons have. These Demons and Generals have something called Elura."

"Elura?" Matthew asked, trying to process all this information.

Arthur nodded, "Think of it as a type of elemental magic that takes the elemental air around a being and molds it to the being’s will. These Demons and Generals can cast what could be called spells to perform various things with that Elura. It is very complicated to explain. An example would be a little better."

Arthur looked over at Kiku who nodded before setting Arthur's things down gently. The raven walked so he stood right before Matthew and Arthur. He raised one hand parallel to the ground, his palm facing up. He gave Arthur one last look before closing his eyes.

" _Whips of the blacked damned, Wailing Fang!_ "

Matthew watched with wide eyes as a flame flickered to life in Kiku's hand. A soft gasp tore its way past his lips as Kiku slid his free hand over the flame and as his hand left the flame followed. He stopped the motion with one hand raised level with his shoulder and the other with his hip. The flames held the recognizable shape of a whip and despite how the flames themselves flickered excitedly, Kiku's skin seemed untouched by the heat. Kiku shared a look with Arthur and as the blond nodded Kiku dropped his hands to his sides with a sigh, the whip of flames disappearing in an instant.

Arthur turned to Matthew and waited to see his reaction and much to his surprise, he saw awe and amazement instead of fear he was so accustomed to seeing. Matthew turned to him, his eyes sparkling with excited questions. Well, at least it seemed he was a little more relaxed than he had been a moment ago.

"So, can all Demons and Conquerors do that, eh?" Matthew asked with a tilt of his head.

Arthur shook his head, "No. It is a very special gift that only a select few have. But there are certainly a lot more Demons who possess the ability than humans. In total, there have only been between one hundred and one hundred fifty humans with this ability and that includes going back a great deal in history. If I have my information correct then right now, alive, there are a total of eight humans who have an Elura. I am certain that you can guess that five out of those eight are the Generals of the  _Conquerors_. They usually leave all the grunt work to the Commanders and Guards. They…sit back and wait to handle any Demon they think have an Elura. Most often it is the Guards that are sent after the unfortunate Demons…much like they did with your parents."

Matthew's eyes dyed down and he looked away muttering, "They weren't my parents, but they very well could have been. They were looking after me while I was waiting for someone."

"Oh?" Arthur asked with a curious blink.

Matthew nodded as he drew his knees up and wrapped his arms around them, "My brother, eh. He left saying he'd be back in a month or two but that was well over two years ago. He's so stupid." A sad smile twitched at the corners of his lips, "He probably forgot I even existed. But that's okay. They treated me well, they really did, eh! I just…I wasn't expecting that this morning."

Arthur glanced over at Kiku before looking back at Matthew as he continued, "I was going to help her make him a special breakfast, we were going to celebrate. But as soon as he walked in, he shoved me into that pantry and told me not to come out under any circumstance. And right after that, those men came barging in and took them away. Arthur…they're gone, aren't they?"

Arthur frowned at the boy sitting next to him, he glanced at Kiku again but the dark headed man did and said nothing as he stared at Matthew. The blond sighed lightly. This was the way of the world. It literally came down to hunt or be hunted.

"Yes, Matthew, by now they are gone." Arthur said with as much sympathy as he could muster at this point in his life.

The blue-violet eyed youth pulled his legs closer to his chest and Arthur could see the tears building up in his eyes behind his glasses.

"But, they hadn't done anything wrong. They were kind, to everyone. They never turned away anyone in need, never. They…how could those men do that to them, eh? She…" Matthew choked on his words and he shook with the effort of not letting his tears fall, "she was going to surprise him with the good news. They…they called me their son and…she was so happy when she found out that she was going to…she thought that she was finally going to have the little girl she always wanted."

Arthur blanched at his words and even Kiku looked paler than usual. He had not sensed that when he had been in the crowd. Had he known then he would have most certainly done something about it. He reached over and pulled Matthew against him, wrapping his arms around the now sobbing boy's shoulders as Matthew griped the front of his shirt like a lifeline.

"Kiku," Arthur said softly, causing Kiku to flinch at his own name but he stepped forward anyway, "I expect you to be back at the manor within a week.”

"Understood, Lord Kirkland, will you and Sir Matthew be all right?" Kiku asked as he bowed.

"Yes."

Kiku gave another bow before stepping back and disappeared as smooth as silk into the shadows, leaving Arthur and Matthew.

**~x~**

Arthur paused and shifted his shoulders slightly as the sleeping boy on his back slipped. Arthur had stayed with Matthew until the young boy had worn himself out, finally letting himself feel through the turmoil of the day. Arthur had told Matthew that they both needed to keep moving but the older blond wasn’t heartless. He offered to carry Matthew once the younger could not longer keep his eyes open. Matthew had seemed a little put off at the idea but had eventually sucummed to his weariness and allowed Arthur to do just that.

 It was nightfall now and Arthur felt a little more at ease, darkness was his home. He was still being careful but it was not as necessary as it had been in the day light. The half moon peaked briefly out from behind dark clouds and Arthur froze, straining to hear the sound he thought he had just heard. He was not stupid enough to walk along the road but the sound that reached his ears made him uneasy, enough so that he ducked behind a large tree.

He eased around just in time to see a horse trot out from the shadows of the overlapping trees over the road. The horse rider was male wearing the distinct and elaborate armor of a  _Conqueror_ , and a high-ranking one at that. Arthur felt his blood run cold, he knew that face. It was one of the five Generals, the youngest if he remembered correctly. The lad was barely over the age of nineteen but he had an infamous record. He held a special place among the  _Conquerors_  because it was rumored that he was the greatest sensory type on record. A sensory type was someone who was able to sense the unique signature that Demons gave off. Every living thing gave off some type of signature but Demons gave off a certain type that was noticeably different from humans, even more so if the Demon also possessed an Elura.

The rider pulled the horse to a complete stop. He used his free hand to brush back the strands of auburn red hair that fell from the ponytail. His darker red eyes glanced over his shoulder and down the road. Arthur couldn't help the brow that arched as he sensed the warrior's nervousness. At least until the warrior turned his head and looked directly at Arthur. Arthur swore under his breath, body tensing in case this General decided to do anything. However, the younger man just stared at Arthur, eyes glowing with some odd emotion that Arthur couldn’t place. They stood like that for several long moments, staring the other down before the silence was broken by a soft moan. For a brief moment of panic, Arthur thought it had been Matthew but the redhead's panicked look put his own fear to rest.

The warrior leaned down and whispered something to the thing that Arthur now realized was sitting in the saddle in front of him. The thing shifted and groaned softly, it was human like as far as Arthur could tell. The warrior wrapped an arm tighter around the person sitting in front of him, grabbed the reins, and kicked the horse hard with his heels. The animal reared up on its back legs in surprised but the red head held on tight to both the reins and the other person. Once the animal had settled back down it shot off down the road kicking up dirt as its hooves met and then quickly left the ground.

Arthur held his breath as he waited. Sure enough, he heard the distinct clink of armor and the pounding of feet on the hard ground. There were people following the warrior and a number of them by the sound of it. Arthur tightened his arms around Matthew's legs and took off at a swift jog. He had to get to his own checkpoint before he was noticed by the  _Conquerors_. Normally he would have no problem with them, but with Mathew that proved to be a bit of a problem. He just hoped that none of the other Generals would be among the people coming at a swift rate down the road.

He didn't slow his pace until he came into the soft light of a small shed like structure. Breathes coming in soft pants, Arthur kicked the side of the building a few times in a unique pattern before going around to the back door. He didn't have to wait long before the door opened and the dark was bathed in a warm orange light. The sudden light caused him to wince and narrow his eyes.

"Kirk! What da hell are you doin' out this late at night?" the man in the doorway asked, surprise lacing in with his accent.

"Nice to see you too, Leonardo," Arthur said a little more bitterly than he meant to.

The man in the doorway, a large man with a complexion like chocolate, narrowed his equally dark eyes, one hand going to his hip while the other held the lantern up higher. Another figure appeared just behind the man. A woman this time, she was a deal shorter than the man, and had her long dark wavy hair swept into two low pigtails held in place with bright red ribbons. Arthur blinked in surprise. It wasn’t often she ventured far from her usual home. She ignored his surprise and glanced at Arthur and then the man standing in the doorway. She frowned and elbowed the larger man out of the way.

"Cut it out, Leo. Arthur, what do you want? This had better be good," the slight woman said, pulling her arms tight across her chest.

"Hello, Elles," Arthur replied in a dry tone.

The corner of her lips twitched upward in what would have undoubtedly been a sneer, if Leonardo hadn't gently moved her aside to look Arthur over once more. He pursed his lips together as he took in both Arthur and Matthew. He waved the woman aside and instructed her to get a few things before stepping out into the dark, having handed the lantern to the woman.

"She is as friendly as ever I see," Arthur said, tone just shy of a snort.

"Yeah, well," Leonardo shrugged.

Arthur arched a brow but made no comment as they waited. A moment later, Elles reappeared with a large coat and told them that the horses were waiting out front before retreating back into the small shed like building. Leonardo motioned for Arthur to follow him around to the front where two horses where waiting, completely saddled and ready to go.

"I really must thank you, Leonardo," Arthur whispered as Leo helped him wrestle himself and Matthew, who was remarkably still asleep during all of this, onto one of the horses.

"Think nothin' of it. We both owe ya a lot anyway, Elles and me. She may not look it, but she worries 'bout ya," Leo said as he mounted his own horse and pulled on the reins.

This time, Arthur did snort, "I doubt it."

"Nah, I'm serious. I bet when I get back she'll be naggin' at me to tell her what happened. I can take ya 'bout half the way before I have ta get back. It might look odd if I'm gone too long."

Arthur frowned, "Are they still watching you?"

"Ya, just not as close as they once were." The larger man replied with a shrug.

Arthur opened his mouth to comment but Leonardo had already pulled the horses forward before he could do so.

**~x~**

"Lord Kirkland!"

Green eyes widened at the sight of a soaking wet Arthur with an equally wet blond boy standing beside him. Leonardo had only taken them part of the way, but by that time, it had been raining and Arthur doubted riding horses all the way here would have made much of a difference in their state.

"Toris," Arthur growled as he angrily wiped his bangs from his face, "are you going to stand there like a bloody idiot or are you going to let the boy in?"

Toris' eyes snapped to the boy and then Arthur. He nodded hastily and stepped aside, allowing the two into the warm and dry manor.

"I'm sorry, Milord, I was so surprised to see you! I wasn't expecting you to be back until the day after tomorrow!" Toris said as he quickly took both of Arthur and Mathew's bags.

"Yes, well, we ran into a bit of trouble along the way," Arthur snapped as he flicked his wrist, sending tiny droplets of water flying from his fingertips and onto the floor.

Toris' eyes glazed over with worry, "Nothing too bad I hope?"

Arthur growled as he peeled his boots off, "I will inform you of everything later.” One boot hit the floor with a thick, wet, thump and he started with the other, "Right now, we must find Matthew some new dry clothes for him to wear. And a room will be needed for him as well."

Toris looked at Matthew with a kind smile, "Of course! Please, come out of the rain!"

Matthew pushed his hair from his eyes and looked around as Toris shut the door behind them then hurried off down the hallway. He hadn't had a chance to look at the house as they ran up but he had guessed it was big. At the present moment, they were standing in the entryway and as Matthew looked to his right he saw double doors that were closed tight and to his left were another pair of double doors that were cracked open. He could see a fireplace that had a roaring fire going and a couch setting just off to the side of the front of the fireplace. The hallway in front of him stretched out and he could see doors on both sides and a staircase at the end of the hall. His eyes flickered to the staircase that started just a few feet from the closed double doors and wondered why in the world one would need two staircases.

"Lord Kirkland, I will have Feliks prepare you some tea if you would like?" Toris asked as he reappeared from a room.

"Yes, that sounds wonderful. Bring something for the boy as well," Arthur instructed as he managed to peal his other boot off.

Toris nodded and hurried off through the doors to the right. Arthur put a hand on Matthew's shoulder and directed him towards the doors on the other side of the entryway. The older blond shoved them open and stepped inside, obviously not caring that he was dripping water all over the wooden floor. Arthur motioned Matthew farther into the room and he took a hesitant step inside.

The room was warm and surprisingly grand. Across the room from him was the fireplace carved out of some type of black stone that glittered with a faint purple when the light from the fire hit it just right. There were thick, and probably heavy, blood red curtains drawn over windows on either side of the said fireplace. To Matthew's left was a large desk with several chairs scattered around it and a bookcase just behind the desk. To his right was of course the couch he had seen but also several large plush chairs on the far side, all situated around a round black table. The rug beneath the couch was a dark red-and-black and almost blended into the rich chocolate brown wood floor. The whole room had a sort of gothic feel to it; all the furniture was carved out of some sort of dark wood and covered in either a shade of red or black. It all looked very expensive.

"Matthew, come here," Arthur motioned from his position in front of the fireplace.

Matthew quickly padded over, grateful for the sudden warmth from the fire. He looked around the room again and almost shouted in surprise as he saw a body sprawled out over the dark colored couch. Arthur noticed his gaze and looked over. The man on the couch was mostly covered with a blanket so only his hand, which was hanging off the couch with his fingers brushing the floor, strands of his chocolate brown hair, and his boot covered feet were visible. Arthur wrinkled his nose at the boots the man was wearing but before he had a chance to say anything about it, Toris entered the room with a pile of clothing in his hands.

"Here we are! Feliks is working on the tea as we speak, Lord Kirkland! Matthew," Toris turned his smile again to Matthew, "if you would follow me I will lead you to your room so you can change out of those wet clothes!"

Matthew nodded and followed after Toris, leaving Arthur to stare thoughtfully into the fire. As they walked down the hallway, Matthew couldn't help the question that was nagging at his mind.

"Ah…Mr. Toris," Toris turned to look at him with a mildly surprised look.

"Please, just call me Toris!"

"Ah…right, I'm sorry. Toris," Matthew tried again, "this house…it belongs to ah…Lord Kirkland, eh?"

"Yes."

"It looks really expensive, what does he do to get the money?"

Toris, who had stopped at a door with his hand on the doorknob, considered the question, "Well…he doesn't really have a job that pays. He comes from a rich family so he's always had money. Now, as far as his job goes, he rescues people."

"Rescues people?" Matthew asked, confused.

Toris nodded, "I know, that's what I thought too at first, but once you spend more time with him you start to understand. Now, this is your room, please use it to change and I will bring you something warm to drink in a moment."

Matthew nodded and entered the room, closing it with a click. Toris stared at the door a moment before hurrying back to the living area where he saw Arthur still standing in his wet clothes, staring at the fire.

"Milord, you'll catch a cold if you continue to stand there," the brunette said with a disapproving look.

Arthur turned his gaze slowly to Toris, still deep in thought.

"I thought Kiku would have stopped by."

"Why is that?"

Arthur motioned to the body on the couch. Toris made a small noise of understanding.

"He has not been back here since he left to go find you, sir. And Sir Karpusi arrived only a little while before you did."

"I see…"

"Is something bothering you, Milord?" Toris asked, taking a tiny step forward as his brow started to furrow in worry.

Arthur ran a hand through his still sopping wet hand and sighed, "This is getting out of hand. Today…I…those damned  _Conqueror_  grunts they killed two more people."

Toris' eyes widened in horror, "But Milord, I'm sure there was nothing you could have done, not without revealing yourself."

"Yes, and as you know I am well aware of the lives I have to take in order to help the greater good, but today…I think I am losing my touch."

"Why would you think that?"

"Today…the woman…they killed three people, Toris. One of them hadn't even taken a breath before it was snatched away."

Toris raised a hand to cover his gasp of horror, "Sir…they didn't?"

Arthur nodded as he looked back into the fireplace, "That boy, Matthew, he was in their charge. I was lucky I got there when I did, or else I would not have been able to get him out of there. Bloody hell, I had not even planned on ending up there."

"But, some good did come out of it, right? You saved one person, an innocent person. And, Milord, you've saved so many lived already."

Arthur sighed as his shoulder sagged; looking older than his looks normally suggested in that instant, "Yes, but what good would it do when those _Conquerors_  demand a war against the Demons? I want nothing more than to stop that, but there is only so much I as a person can do. And I cannot even do anything without hiding in the shadows like some animal being hunted. I just…sometimes I wish he were still here. He would know what to do."

Toris watched the other man as he rested his forehead against the cool surface around the fireplace and closed his eyes. He pursed his lips but did not say what was on his mind at the moment. It had obviously been a long day for the man and Toris did not want to add any more unnecessary stress.

"Don't worry; it'll work out in the end. You just have to find that one little piece of the puzzle you're missing! I'm sure you'll get it! You always have!" Toris grinned as Arthur opened one eye and looked at him.

The brunette waited until he saw the slight twitch of Arthur's lips before he turned and headed off to the kitchen to bring the tea that was undoubtedly ready.

**Author's Note:**

> So! Repost of an old fic I found and still actually liked the concept. Umm...this sucker ended up being well over 250+ pages when it died. So I am trying to go through and make it better, tweek some things here and there to make it flow better. It's been years since I actually gave a damn to try with a fic. So sorry if it's just terrible. -hangs head-  
> Okay! Every "canon" character will be in this in some form or another. Which, considering it's been years since I looked at it, it will take some wrangling what with all the new guys. And I hope no one minds me taking a bit of liberty with the names of all the countries that don't have "official" human names. I will post who is who of course.  
> Leonardo - Cuba  
> Elles - Seychelles  
> And as for the pairings, the ones I have listed are the only ones so far that are actually set in stone and aren't changing. I will add more to the list as they develop in the story.  
> Thanks for reading guys!  
> Ohoh! Wait, "~x~x~" means a major skip in time or change in person while "~x~" just means a little time skip. :D Hope you guys will enjoy!


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